Remove all barriers impeding fertiliser distribution: CAO
Sunday, 9 December 2007
Shakhawat Hossain
The Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO) has instructed the authorities concerned to remove all factors impeding the distribution of fertiliser, sources said.
Despite sufficient stock, the fertiliser supply problem is lingering due to flaws in the distribution system.
"An easy and more coordinated approach in fertiliser distribution is essential," said the CAO instruction that was released last week.
The flaws in the distribution of fertiliser, which is heavily subsidised, remain a concern for the government ahead of the country's 'Boro' crop plantation season.
With 'Boro' accounting for nearly 50 per cent of the country's annual rice output of about 27 million tonnes, easy availability of fertiliser is essential for a good harvest.
The country's farmers are looking forward to a good 'Boro' harvest after 'Aman', the second main rice crop, being adversely affected by successive natural calamities such as floods and cyclone in recent months.
The Ministry for Agriculture (MoA), which is responsible to maintain the distribution network, has introduced farmers' identification number, certified by the local agricultural officers.
But the newly introduced system has already been criticised by many insiders of the agricultural ministry while pointing out that the procedure is time consuming and complicated.
As a result, they said, the farmers are not getting the fertiliser in time.
The CAO also instructed the authorities concerned to assess the shortfall of fertiliser taking into account the annual demand and the quantity produced in the country.
To meet the shortfall, it suggested timely action by the ministry of industries on import of this important agricultural input.
The agriculture ministry has estimated the demand for urea during this Rabi and Boro season (December to March) to be 1.4 million tonnes, which is almost half of the country's annual demand.
The country's production of urea in the current fiscal has been fixed at 1.5 million tonnes. The rest 1.3 million tonnes will be imported.
Demand for the other chemical fertilisers such as Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Triple-Supper Phosphate (TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MoP) is nearly 1.0 million tonnes.
The country is fully dependant on private sector importers for supply of DAP, TSP and MoP.
The government has allocated fertiliser subsidy worth Tk 22 billion in the current fiscal budget. But the amount of subsidy is likely to be doubled due to higher import cost.
The Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO) has instructed the authorities concerned to remove all factors impeding the distribution of fertiliser, sources said.
Despite sufficient stock, the fertiliser supply problem is lingering due to flaws in the distribution system.
"An easy and more coordinated approach in fertiliser distribution is essential," said the CAO instruction that was released last week.
The flaws in the distribution of fertiliser, which is heavily subsidised, remain a concern for the government ahead of the country's 'Boro' crop plantation season.
With 'Boro' accounting for nearly 50 per cent of the country's annual rice output of about 27 million tonnes, easy availability of fertiliser is essential for a good harvest.
The country's farmers are looking forward to a good 'Boro' harvest after 'Aman', the second main rice crop, being adversely affected by successive natural calamities such as floods and cyclone in recent months.
The Ministry for Agriculture (MoA), which is responsible to maintain the distribution network, has introduced farmers' identification number, certified by the local agricultural officers.
But the newly introduced system has already been criticised by many insiders of the agricultural ministry while pointing out that the procedure is time consuming and complicated.
As a result, they said, the farmers are not getting the fertiliser in time.
The CAO also instructed the authorities concerned to assess the shortfall of fertiliser taking into account the annual demand and the quantity produced in the country.
To meet the shortfall, it suggested timely action by the ministry of industries on import of this important agricultural input.
The agriculture ministry has estimated the demand for urea during this Rabi and Boro season (December to March) to be 1.4 million tonnes, which is almost half of the country's annual demand.
The country's production of urea in the current fiscal has been fixed at 1.5 million tonnes. The rest 1.3 million tonnes will be imported.
Demand for the other chemical fertilisers such as Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Triple-Supper Phosphate (TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MoP) is nearly 1.0 million tonnes.
The country is fully dependant on private sector importers for supply of DAP, TSP and MoP.
The government has allocated fertiliser subsidy worth Tk 22 billion in the current fiscal budget. But the amount of subsidy is likely to be doubled due to higher import cost.